An ale brewed with a ridiculous amount of pureed raspberries (over a ton of 'em!). Fort has a Belgian-style base, then we follow a similar fermentation process to the one we use on our other super-high ABV beers, 120 Minute IPA and World Wide Stout.

Dogfish Head Fort pours a reddish-brown color, slightly hazy with a white head that quickly fades to a thin layer around the edge of the glass. A pretty beer in my wine glass. Aroma is sweet raspberries. Taste is like a carbonated raspberry liqueur with the faintest bit of hop bitterness in the finish to remind you that you are drinking beer. These is definitely a beverage that pushers the boundaries of beer, but does it in a good way. Champagne-like mouthfeel, and alcohol is surprisingly hidden until I feel a nice warming sensation flow down my throat. A fascinating drink.

By the way, this is a deceptively strong beer - I suggest at least one other person to share it with. (685 characters)

Poured into a Rapscallion glass, formed 1" beige head over the clear reddish copper brew. Head lasts and lasts, with tons of little bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass, and heavy frothy lacing. Aroma is tart raspberries, with a bit of an earthy undercurrent. Taste is the same tart raspberries, duelling with malty sweetness and strong alcohol. The sweetness is almost cloying, and the alcohol heartily warms all the way down. Mouthfeel and drinkability are both not bad, but it certainly doesn't go down terribly smooth. Interesting brew, but I probably wouldn't go through the effort or expense to find this one again. To clarify, I can appreciate what they're doing here, I just don't have to like it. (767 characters)

An insane amount of raspberry and alcohol make this a very dry fruit beer with challenging warmth and strength.

The pour delivers a hazy ruby/mauve color with low carbonation which struggles to form any head. Yet and dainty foamstance slowly builds to a sheet atop the glass. No lacing, light legging.

Deep raspberry notes fill the nose and over take any base beer character. Alcohols provide a sharp sensation in the olfactories. Tart and bright aromatics, albeit somewhat one-dimensional.

Flavors closely mimic the aromas with the big lead in from the raspberry puree. A mix of under rippened and over rippened berries provide sharpness and brightness as well as deeper and richer varieties. A spicy Belgian-like flavor gives a little extra spiciness and enough of a fruity backdrop to add much needed complexity to the taste. Again, alcohol flavor provides a lot of rose-like esters and spicy paint-thinner flavor. No hop character.

A quick and fleeting sweet start soon develops into a thinning, dry, and spicy/hot feel because of the 18%. While the sweet start gives the richer raspberry flavors, the later 90% of the session gives the more tart and dry character.

A true fruit beer that lives up the craft beer name. A nice transition of raspberries leads to a very alcoholic finish. Still, the beer finishes quite one-dimensional and over done. (1,356 characters)

Pours a light red color with a small head that falls quickly and doesn't leave much lacing on the glass. The aroma is only slightly sweet with a lot of raspberry notes and almost no alcohol. Very interesting. A lot less sweetness than I expected. The flavor is much the same - lots of raspberry flavors without being too sweet. The finish is smooth and leaves a great aftertaste. Absolutely no hint of the 18% abv. The body is moderate and the drinkability is wonderful for the alcohol levels. Another great one from DFH. (521 characters)

Purchased in Richmond Va at Carytown W&B. Poured with a slight head that disappears quickly. The smell of raspberries and alcohol come immediately from the glass.

The first sip I think this is some sort of raspberry champagne. Then the hops come out slightly and then as you breath the alcohol comes out. Nice warm feeling on the tounge, doesnt overpower the flavors though. Excellent ballance of the 3. The berry flavor seems to stay in the cheeks.

The only down for me was the body was pretty good but seemed a little heavier than I would have expected. Im not sure how much sugar was used but maybe a little less, even if it lowered the alcohol, would have been nice.

This is overall the best beer to introduce someone unlearned in the quality beer world, or even beer for that matter. It would absolutely hook anyone, including me, who didnt mind a little cha-ching for an excellent beer. Got one more Im holding on to with a Pangea for special occasions. (969 characters)

Taste - The 18% ABV hits you in the face. Warm, fusel alcohol forces me to take small sips. The raspberry flavor comes thru softly. Even so, this is a strong ale first and a fruit beer second.

Mouthfeel - Lots of warmth from the alcohol, slightly sticky, but not overly so.

Drinkability - The alcohol really limits the grade in this category. I am going to drink 3/4 of the entire 22 oz bottle, but only because I can do so over 3 hours and I can be drunk for the night. It's really not overly thick, sweet, or sticky. It's the alcohol that makes it slow to drink.

Overall I like this beer, but the price and high alcohol level make it for special occasions only. (1,038 characters)

Pours a ruby/amber color. Almost looks like a mix of grapefruit and apple juices. Minimal head the fizzles away.

Smells of sugary raspberries, alcohol, and just the slightest hint of hops.

Carbonation is felt on the tounge as well as a slight alcohol warmth followed up by a juicy/tart raspberry flavor. Hints of vanilla and caramel come through along with a bit of spice and hops. The raspberry flavor is very natural and almost more of a candied raspberry shortcake type flavor.

This would go great with a piece of rich creamy cheesecake to finish off the night and put you to bed! One of the most out there fruit beers I have ever tasted and it is oh so good! Thanks DFH! (683 characters)

Pours out bright, light gold with pink-ish tints and sits a beaming ruby-orange in the glass witha small light white head. Fades to a faint surfacing of foam with some lacings around the glass. Completely mezmerizing to say the least.

Aroma is clearly and distinctly malty, lightly toasted and crackery with balancing hops presence. Getting to the thick of it, raspberry aroma is very mild are not over-pronounced.

Tastes moderately sweet up front, crackery malts dominate while spicy alcoholic tones pick up from behind, ushering in some hops bitterness with little to no flavor interaction. Raspberries are there, always there, pecking in at the sides but never getting too feisty. Finish is hot, damn hot and drying, not dry, but definately requiring some thirst quencher.

Crisp and clean in the mouth with tact and effervescent carbonation in the teensiest of bubbles. Medium-full in body.

Not a huge fan of this at this point. It is indeed very well managed and balance is achieved on all fronts, including fruit, but man, it is a drag. A beatiful looking glass of beer, but a hell of a long ways away from anything worthwhile, especially when factoring in cost. While many have mentioned that its potency listing seems inaccurate or at least very hidden, I would disagree. It is quite evident, both in flavor and in feel, as well as in the dreaded cough-syrup comparison that almost immediately came to mind. However, credit shall be given where it's due, and it does deserve at least one try. Who knows, maybe you will love it, but I will pass. (1,563 characters)

Pours leaving only little head that leaves a small ring in the glass. Color is a mostly clear, rose-copper. Carbonation looks adequate throughout. The smell is faint, like semi-sweet raspberry and strong alcohol. Taste is a nice raspberry flavor that is quite subtle, not too sweet or too tart. Its a bit medicinal, and the alcohol feels strong, but not bad for 18%. Hop flavor is low, or at least dominated by other flavors. It's light bodied, with nice carbonation overall. A nice brew to share with friends, but being so strong I wouldn't recommend drinking alot of it by yourself. After a while it does get harder to drink so just have a small glass and enjoy this unique, strong brew... (691 characters)

750ml bottle capped and stamped with a date that is too smudged to read. Clear amber orange body with a good sized white head with a very light pink hue to it. Lacing is about what youd expect for a monster beer like this. Fruity aroma with raspberries standing out as expected. A good bit of sweetness coupled with undertones of booze. Flavor starts with the berries coming out with a solid sweetness and backed by a warming kick of alcohol. A bit syrupy and hints of other fruits come out as it warms. The alcohol definitely kicks in more as this warms but never enough to turn me off from it. Plenty thick body with good amount of carbonation. Surprisingly drinkable stuff as well. DFH definitely knows how to make the monster brews right. (744 characters)

Picked up a bottle for Valentine's Day for my wife and I. Thought this bottle would bring something extra special due to the price tag. In one way it was but on other levels it was not.

A great label is what caught my eye in the first place along with the champagne bottle. Poured into a flute, this beer was red/pinkish with some very bubbly carbonation and decent head. Head seemed to disipate in the flute and the smell was hints of alcohol and very tart raspberries. By the end of the first glass, my innards were warming up due to the 18% ABV. At first sip I noticed a lot of carbonation on the tongue. Alcohol and raspberries as well. Sweet and tart was too much for me. Hard to find the "beer" factor in this one as hops seemed little to none though I understand the style. After each sip, beer goes down easier with a warming sensation each time. Carbonation seems to have a party on the tongue. Quite drinkable though I doubt my wife and I will try this one again. (977 characters)

Picked up a bottle of this for Valentine's Day.
Pours a really nice pinkish color. Definitely not as dark as a lambic (or even the Wisconsin fruit brews), but certainly more red-tinted than most.
Smell is really nice. Reminds me a little of raspberry jam crossed with champagne. A definite highlight, one of the best smelling fruit beers I've ever encountered.
Taste was a little bit of letdown. Tasted sort of like a pale blonde ale with hell of kick, and a little raspberry sweetness in the finish. While really good on paper, neither aspect was really all that great. Compared to DFH's other massively potent brews, I really expected a little more sweetness to bring out the raspberry more. The problem with it being subdued is that I don't think the base ale has enough flavor to compliment it.
Mouthfeel was solid, just the right amount of carbonation present to give it a bubbly feel, but not overdone.
Drinkability's pretty limited, though. I'm not sure I could handle much more than 1/2 bottle. At $18 a bottle, I don't think I'd get it again.
Like some of DFH's other adventurous brews, it's unique, but nothing great. Worth a try, though! (1,155 characters)

750ml bottle purchased at Riley's here in Madison as a splurge for the Valentines's Day dinner I made for my girlfriend and me.

Pours a vibrant dark amber/pink with a bit of foam that dies quickly in my champagne flute. Nose is fresh raspberries, nice and tart, and waftable alcoholic fumes....yes, folks, this stuff could probably strip wallpaper. Tastes similar to the St. Louis Premium Framboise that I've ad on tap, well, except for the fact that it's nearly as strong as Malibu Rum. Sweet yet tart, fresh raspberry juice with a fiery alcohol dropkick. Mouthfeel is lively and champagne dry. This stuff is actually a little better and more drinkable when it's straight from the fridge to cut that warming alcohol. Worth the pricetag? Not sure, but I sure am crunk in the meantime...Happy Valentine's, y'all. (814 characters)

pours a deep copper with a reddish hues, very light lace for a head hat sustaind the duration of consumption.
the aroma is malty, hint of raspberry, and alcohol.
the flavor is malty, carmelized sugar, alcohol, spice, hint of raspberry.
the mouthfeel is pretty full, little slippery sweet, sticks to your mouth.
beer is very drinkable but best enjoyed on a cold night. (371 characters)

A: Pouring from the beautiful 750 mL bottle into a champagne flute. ¾ head when poured with vigor. Orange/peach color with hints of amber. Head is pure white and lingers for a long time and clings well to the glass to hang around for a while.

S: From a distance, subtle and sweet raspberry scent. When sniffed more closely, lots of alcohol/solvent aroma with the fruity odors. Could easily get drunk off the smell. As it warms, scent becomes more inviting and less alcoholic. Smell evolves greatly until the snozberries smell like snozberries.

T: At first, I cant pick up much beer flavor past the alcohol. As it warms and I pause to reflect, flavors come alive. Nice malt body, but little-to-no hops. Lots of alcohol-kick as it goes down the hatch. Dry finish with a hint of fruity freshness. The aftertaste of berries lasts for quite some time and makes me want to take another bi gulp as soon as it disappears.

M: Mouthfeel is great for this brew, but a bit unique for a beer in general. Good carbonation that keeps the beer alive.

D: Lots of alcohol, but handled in a stunning fashion. Hard to decide how drinkable this is because there is so much alcohol to palate. I am definitely enjoying drinking this, and I could share this with a friend for a while but not all night. Drinks like a 10-12% beer, not an 18% beer.

Notes: Happy Valentines Day to me. Being single for my first V-Day since puberty, I used my money to treat myself. Wonderful drinking experience that all beer drinkers should have. Not as fruity as I expected, but a great beer. Oh Dogfish, you never cease to amaze me. (1,615 characters)

well carbonated, head drops quickly (due to high alcohol as expected). color is light tannish leather.

smell has is fairly solvent-heavy, as expected for this high ABV, with hints of berry and herbal earthy notes. very iniviting. too bad it deteriorates from there.

taste? like running an emory board over your tongue. extremely one-dimensional, harsh and grainy, with no depth at all. you get to enjoy all the raspberry seed tannins with none of the actual raspberry flavors. even the residual sweetness of the base beer seems to get buried. I can't for the life of me imagine that this was what was intended; it tastes like an experiment gone horribly wrong.

mouthfeel is coating and full, with the expected high ethanol drying effects. the clean finish is at least some consolation for having to suffer through the awful flavor experience itself.

I am unimpressed. not completely, as I like the idea behind this beer, and I can think of numerous ways this could have turned out better. however, this emperor has no clothes, and I look forward to all the self-proclaimed beer geeks proclaiming the wonders of this beer to prove their beer geek status. hypocrites.

given the variability I have experienced with a couple other dogfish head brews, it's possible my bottle was a fluke, and that the vast majority of what made it into the market is better than the bottle I had. (which I ended up dumping the remaining contents of...) (1,446 characters)

Shared this with my wife over a snowy evening. Purcahsed as a bomber from the Wine joint in Hamden. No freshness date, but ink jet labeled that it was "Bottled on 11/28/05."
Poured a clear pretty pink pink with a small white head. Comes off like a well-fermented blush wine. Limited waves of carbonation within the body and retention, but excellent lacing.

Big raspberry nose soaked in grain alcohol.

Fort was berry berry good to me. You get a rush of raspberry flavors. Not like a clingy syrup, but like a nice hint of raspberry reduction tossed into a good dessert. Some mellony undertones are there as well. It is spicey and boozy as it warmed, becoming more big-beer like and less like a nice wine. I'm convinced you could serve this chilled at a party, and the ladies would think you've concocted some sort of new martini.

Medium bodied, leaving some warm sugar in your mouth afterwards. The bomber didn't have a chance, really. The only thing that would keep this as a revolving beer in the fridge would be cost. Just consider it a fine underpriced bottle of wine... (1,086 characters)

Upon opening the bottle, the aroma of raspberries is clearly evident. Poured into champagne glasses - it looks pink/red in color with a nice foamy head that dissipates fairly quickly. Initial taste is raspberries - sweet and fruity. However, due to the large alcohol content, it finishes dry with some alcohol burn. This was fine for me, but my wife was not fond of the finish. Once it sits for a while, it becomes sweeter and a little easier on finish. I would call this a "gimmick" beer, but it works. I would definitely try it again. (536 characters)

A- This beer has a light crystal clear coppery body with a red tint. The head is a creamy thick dense foam that last and last. The foam sticks to the glass and looks of a slight pink hue but that might be the reflection of the beer.

S- The smell of sweet fresh raspberries is strong and wonderful. There is a supporting aroma of slightly toasted malt and perhaps some green hops. As it warms there is a bit of a buttered cooked corn note with the hops.

T- There is a bold sweet raspberry flavor that finishes a bit dry. There is a big alcohol taste to finish but it compliments the fruit. I don't taste any big fusel alcohols so it is not very harsh. There are some green resin hop flavors in the finish that are "kicked up" by the fizz and alcohol. As this beer warms some notes of cooked corn start to come through in the flavor.

M- The mouthfeel is medium light with a fizz in the texture and some alcohol heat that finishes the beer. As this beer warms more of the fusel alcohols come through and really give it more of a kick.

D- I think this is a good but young beer. I never thought of aging an American fruit beer until today. This has some nice fruit but the alcohol makes the hops really stand up and demand attention. I like it better than Champagne but not as much than some framboise I have had before. I will have to find another bottle or two and rereview in several years. It's nice they print the bottled date on the glass itself. (1,491 characters)

Appearance: Amber slightly cloudy look pours with a huge effervescent head cloudy white fluffy leaves massive chunky layers of lace. Aroma: Tart raspberries floud the senses along with bready yeast notes some spicy character over ripened with spicy alcohol fruit notes sugary and tart blend. Taste: Flowing raspberry flavor with a highly alcohol phenol character flowery hop presence with more of the bready yeast and biscuit malt sweetness a bit of a honey raspberry syrup tone. Mouthfeel: Syrupy texture semi-colloidal very coats the palate yet still has a fine carbonation it's hard to explain a strange sensation on the palate for sure medium bodied overall...I guess. Drinkability: Heavy dose of raspberries a ton to be exact helped the natural fruit sugars for fermentation purposes reaching that 18% could be probably be tricky without 'em easy to consume in a mellow fashion to get too relaxation status fine off centered ale, I like it. (945 characters)

The pour shows something that looks like the cranberry tea that my wife drinks - nice reddish brown tints. The overly white head is big and foamy. Nice lacing - most likely from the high bubbly action of this stuff.

To the nose, it is big raspberry and alcohol. The smell explodes out at you.

In the mouth, it's nice and clean. Again, the fruit jumps all over your tongue, but the alcohol keeps it from getting too sweet. There is a semi-tart crisp bite that also makes it easy to drink. Very refreshing for a brew that will kick your ass. Completely different than all of the other ultra malty big alcohol beers we know and love.

Musings: When a fruit brew is done right, I tend to enjoy them. This one is right on the mark. It is a little pricey, but by the time you and your loved one have finished the bottle, the beer reviews will end for the evening. (932 characters)

Apperance: Light ruby brown, with longstanding slightly offwhite head. Lacing lingers for a pleasantly long time. The color of the beer fades into caramel as the glass gets thinner.

Aroma: Aroma is strongly fruity and sweet. Dark berry fruits and other types of sweetness seem to soak up the initial aroma. There seems to be some fruit-like bitterness/sharpness also present in the aroma.

Taste: The taste is strong in fruit flavor right up front, but this beer quickly dries as it glances across the tongue. Quickly this goes from being a sweet fruity beer to a dry beer with raspberry notes. The mouthfeel is pleasantly full, and the finish is dry but still reminiscent of the lingering fruit. The alcohol content seems to blast it's way into your face during the middle of the swallow. It doesn't seem too strong right now, but we'll have to see how I feel in 20 minutes...

Notes: Good flavor, interesting beer. This one is tasty, but heed warning. 18% abv is not for the fruit beer drinking faint of heart. Heads up. (1,029 characters)

This beer poured a clear orange/pinkish hued body with a small white head that died quickly.

Nose is interesting and very intriguing. Soft raspberries or cherries and very muted. A definite fruit juice smell tone blends into thick but never overpowering alcohol. At 18% I was expecting so much alcohol it burned. This is soft and present. The fruits come out but never sting. Really an amazing smell.

Huge thick body. First impression is not so much lambic, but a perfectly balanced fruit puree reduction that's been turned into a beer. There's definitely malt in this beer as well. Touches of caramel and a strong alcohol remind me of a good english barleywine. Alcohol definitely come alive as it warms and although it has hints of chambord or other raspberry flavor liquors, it's not as sharp and much more drinkable. The hops in this beer are so well balanced as to make them almost unnoticeable. They come out a bit more as it warms giving it a decent bitterness with just enough hop flavor to add some flavor, but are never distracting from the fresh raspberry taste.

This beer is a meal unto itself, but would amazing paired with chocolate. At 18% this is like drinking a bottle and half of wine. So whatever you do take it slow or share it.

Overall... Wow!!! I was scared to try this beer expecting maybe a huge overly tart lambic, but this beer is nothing like that. It's so unique it deserves it's own category. Imperial lambic, fruit barleywine, etc.... I don't know... but whatever you call it, it's good. (1,529 characters)

Poured into a long-stemmed, wide-bowled red wine glass the 1 pint, 9.6 fluid ounce bottle pours a hazy tea appearance, with shimmering orange hues and shades of pink and peach. The beer is topped with a respectable white foam head with wispy lace and gentle cling to the inside of the glass.

Big aroma of raspberries and huge solvent alcohol fumes, akin to Chambord, and pungent as the beer warms. Dots of savory spices and fresh hops in the nose, too.

The lively carbonation not only helps to retain the lacing, but it's the first introduction to the beer. It's spritzy, invigoration and amps up the beer's sharpness on the palate, followed by a smooth creamy feel. Alcohol definitely makes itself known. The heat worms its way into the palate with solvent and spice. Raspberry flavor is juicy, tart and dominates as it mingles with the alcohol to create a unique cordial-like experience. Malty backbone with sublet caramel, honey and vanilla lingering in the background. Belgian-esque with a dose of candi sugar-like sweetness and spices found in some Belgian ales. Suggestions of lime in the bitterness compliment the tart raspberry. Slight leafy hop character comes across the palate, followed by a salty edged linger on the tongue as the beer fades and dries away. Some solvent heat and spice remain in the finish with faded raspberry flavors for quite sometime.

Definitely one to share with friends, or someone special as "lights out and good nightcap." Although the beer's flavors open up as the beer warms, some might want to stick to serving cold to avoid the alcohol heat.

Pair it with something big and bold, like a Baked Brie en Croute, a hot chocolate torte, or selection of soft dark Belgian-style chocolates. Or better yet, make mini-fruit cups with fresh peaches and raspberries and soak them overnight with half a bottle of Fort. Top with fresh cream and a mint leaf, and pair the dessert with the other half of the bottle. (1,944 characters)